Pick your poison.DU plays hated rival North Dakota or respected rival Colorado College in Saturday’s Broadmoor Trophy game. Pios must beat one of their two biggest rivals for their fourth league playoff championship since 2002 (also won it in 2005 and 2008). Tigers and Sioux are warming up right now (UND’s Danny Kristo back in the lineup from frostbite).

DU MVP Drew Shore: “In regards to (the opponent), I think it’s going to be a really good game, but as a team I really don’t think it matters to us . . . We’re playing some of the best hockey we’ve played all year right now. As a player, as a team, you’re just going to focus on the things you can control, and make sure we’re ready to go tomorrow.”

DU coach George Gwozdeckydidn’t make it in my game story because of space (I instead used a great quote from BSU coach Tom Serratore, who is as entertaining as his younger brother, AFA skipper Frank Serratore). Some of George’s comments: “Certainly, it feels good to be second at the podium (losing team at Final Five talks first at postgame press conference, DU went 0-2 a year ago as the top seed).

“Whoever we face, we know it’s going to be a major challenge for us,” Gwoz said. “But certainly, over the course of the last dozen games or so, we’ve been counting this thing down as a team, and trying to get all of us to realize how important it is to be ready to play, emotionally, physically, to the best of our ability at this time of year. The one thing that really helps is to be healthy. We were on our last fumes when we got here last year.”

Beau Bennett is improving by the game.The freshman forward (nine goals, 24 points in 34 games) was again awesome with the puck at times today. He didn’t score and only got one assist and two shots (plus-1 rating), but he stickhandles like he has a slinky between the puck and his stick. “I thought Rakhshani had great hands, but Beau has the creatively that Rhett didn’t,” Gwoz said. “Rhett had quick hands, but Beau can do things …” Makes me wonder how good this team is going to be next year if D. Shore, Zucker and Donovan don’t turn pro. Don’t be surprised if Bennett emerges as the best of the bunch next season — or in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Memo to D. Shore, Zucker, Donovanand anyone else on this team looking beyond next week and thinking they’re good enough for the NHL: Cheverie, Wiercioch, Colborne, minor leagues. Hmmmm. Think those guys would rather be playing in college right now?

Nebraska-Omaha coach Dean Blais was named coach of the 2011-12 U.S. National Junior Team. Guess who will be the likely captain or at least co-captain for that team? Zucker. Zucker will be a third-year U.S. World Junior Championship participant, and I know Blais loves how the kid plays the game. Blais coached the 2009-10 U.S. gold-medal-winning team that included Zucker and Donovan. More reason to be a sophomore next season and not bounce back and forth from the Minnesota Wild and the AHL. Bennett and Nick Shore also will probably make that team.